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Alter egos: World War I re-enactors

Corin Watts

Corin Watts participates in a rifle drill while recreating life as a World War I soldier at the Colchester Military Tournament in Colchester, England, July 6, 2014. Watts portrays a Lance Corporal in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps, part of the Rifles Living History Society.

Watts says that he became interested in World War I when, as a child, he would pass the statue of "The Driver" on the Royal Artillery Monument by Charles Sargeant Jagger. Of his fellow re-enactors he says "I like the people, its an odd community re-enactment, they are the most bizarre but at the same time most grounded and down to earth people you'd ever meet."

United by a fascination with military history and a fondness for dressing up, groups such as the Rifles Living History Society and the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment Living History Group get together to recreate aspects of life during the First World War.

Reuters photographer Luke MacGregor photographed members of the groups, both as they took part in living history events and at their day jobs.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Corin Watts

Custom silicone technician Corin Watts works on a prosthetic partial hand at the London Prosthetic Centre in Kingston-Upon-Thames, southwest London, Aug. 12, 2014.

Watts became interested in World War I when, as a child, he would pass the statue of "The Driver" on the Royal Artillery Monument by Charles Sargeant Jagger. Because of its size and imposing nature it scared him, but also provoked him to ask questions about the Great War.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Lawrence Taylor, Connor Young

Factory landlord Lawrence Taylor, left, portraying a Colour Sergeant from the King's Royal Rifle Corps, part of the Rifles Living History Society, performs a drill with Connor Young, right, of the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment Living History Group as they recreate the life of a First World War soldier at the Eden Valley Museum in Edenbridge in southeast England, May 10, 2014.

United by a fascination with military history and a fondness for dressing up, groups such as the Rifles Living History Society and the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment Living History Group get together to recreate aspects of life during the First World War.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Lawrence Taylor

Lawrence has always had an interest in military history and specifically "The Rifles" - his veteran father's WWII regiment. When he became a re-enactor he chose not to re-enact WWII since many of the veterans are still alive.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Ciaran Dukes

Surgical nurse Ciaran Dukes, center, portrays a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps marches with other World War I re-enactors as they drill at the Eden Valley Museum at Edenbridge, England, May 10, 2014.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Ciaran Dukes

Surgical nurse Ciaran Dukes poses for a photograph in his scrubs in Bromley, southeast London, June 23, 2014.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Richard Helad

Carpenter Richard Helad, portraying a Lance Corporal of the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Living History Group, participates in a mock WWI battle at the Colchester Military Tournament in Colchester, England July 5, 2014.

Helad's interest in re-enacting was sparked by visiting a historical military show with his son, he started buying military uniform and equipment and became more involved in the group. He feels it is important to keep the memory alive of those who died and to educate people about how the war changed the social history of the country, including securing the vote for women and opening up opportunities for them in the workplace.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Richard Helad

Carpenter Richard Helad adjusts a door in a new apartment constructed by Berkeley Homes in Hackney, northeast London, July 22, 2014.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Philip Francis

Truck driver Philip Francis, third from left, portrays a private from the 16th Lancers, as he rides his horse, Cassius, in a mock battle illustrating the First World War at the Colchester Military Tournament in Colchester, eastern England, July 6, 2014.

"I enjoy the regimental nature of World War I re-enactment, the history of it. Every weekend I learn something new" he said.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Philip Francis

Truck driver Philip Francis poses for a photograph at the Geoff Greenfield yard in Upper Beeding, near Steyning, southern England, July 21, 2014.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Peter Austridge

Police Community Support Officer Peter Austridge, left, portrays a Corporal in the 4th Battalion Royal Fusilier Territorial Army, as he and others recreate camp life of a First World War soldier at the Colchester Military Tournament in Colchester, eastern England, July 6, 2014.

Austridge became interested in WWI re-enactment when he was given three sets of medals from his great uncles. Unlike earlier wars, he says, there are researchable facts about what people wore and ate. For him the enjoyment of re-enacting is bringing the bit of history he's learned to life for others.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Peter Austridge

Police Community Support Officer Peter Austridge of the Enfield Borough Police poses while on patrol on the Shires Estate in Edmonton, north London, July 16, 2014.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Chris Bingham, Richard Helad

Freight train driver Chris Bingham, right, portrays a private, from the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Living History Group, and carpenter Richard Helad, left, portrays a Lance Corporal, as they participate in a mock battle illustrating the First World War at the Colchester Military Tournament in Colchester, eastern England, July 6, 2014.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Chris Bingham

Steve Neville

City of Westminster Environmental Health officer Steve Neville, right, portrays a rifleman in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps with the Rifles Living History Society as he recreates the life of a First World War soldier at the Colchester Military Tournament in Colchester, England July 5, 2014.

Neville was already a re-enactor of the Napoleonic Wars but decided to concentrate on the First World War because he had four ancestors who fought in the war. His great-grandfather Patrick Driscoll was killed in the battle of Cambrai, and a great uncle was injured in the Battle of the Somme. He says that his main enjoyment in participating in the re-enactments are "the bangs and smoke".

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Steve Neville

City of Westminster Environmental Health officer Steve Neville poses at a London Westminster air quality monitoring site in central London, Aug. 12, 2014.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Paul Barker

Senior construction manager Paul Barker, third from right, portrays a Corporal in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps with the Rifles Living History Society as he participates in a gas mask check with Ciaran Watts, left, portraying a Lance Corporal, and Pat Taylor, second from left, who is dressed as a member of the Women's Auxilliary Army Corps at the Colchester Military Tournament in Colchester, England July 5, 2014.

Credit: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Paul Barker

Senior construction manager Paul Barker poses on site during an office renovation project in the Canary Wharf business district in London, July 16, 2014.